Banbury rotarians have given crocus packs to the latest primary school taking part in their End Polio Now campaign.

They visited Hill View Primary School last week to hand out a Grow Your Own Crocus pack as part of the initiative which aims to raise awareness of the deadly disease and the efforts to eradicate it by 2018. The Banbury deputy mayor Councillor Gordon Ross also attended.

Fred Riches, Rotarian and one of the main organisers of the project, said: “It is absolutely brilliant that so many schools have responded positively to the invitation to take part in this project.

“This is the third time we have done it and there are only two countries left in the world where there are still reported cases. It is great to see the impact of the project as well as the effect.”

The total number of bulbs planted in Banbury will reach more than 18,500 and ten primary schools have already signed up to be part of this year’s campaign.

Pupils have already been busy planting bulbs in St Mary’s Churchyard and Spiceball Park and when the bulbs flower next year, it will coincide with the popular Children Singing for Children Concerts, which will be held from March 8-10 in St Mary’s Church.